Alonzo’s foul mood evaporated the moment his eyes locked with Jeanette’s. Beautiful was the first word that came rushing to his brain. She wasn’t the statuesque, leggy type he preferred to compliment his six-four height. Her petite stature, caramel complexion, hazel eyes, and full, kissable lips were magnetizing. He wanted to reach out and rub the shoulder-length two-strand twists between his fingers to see if they were as soft as they looked.

His gaze continued to roam as he took in her small breasts outlined in a teal long-sleeve tee shirt, her tiny waist, and snug-fitting jeans showcasing curvy hips. Childbearing hips. He tossed that crazy thought out of his head. His mother’s nagging earlier this morning to settle down with a nice Cuban girl and start a family was messing with him.

Alonzo suppressed the urge to lick his lips. Over sensitized by women throwing themselves at him, it had been forever since he desired a woman on sight. They all looked the same. Cosmetically enhanced breasts, fake eyelashes, caked on makeup, silicon-injected lips, and butts. This Jeanette Adams was on the other end of the spectrum. Her natural beauty was captivating.

Oh…my… God… Breathe…Jeanette… Breathe… Who in the world is this Laz Alonso clone? Jeanette wondered. She’d seen just about every movie or television show the sexy, Afro-Latino played in.

Jeanette was nervous as she approached the stranger who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. Gloria said he looked unhappy. Did something happen in such a short span of time? She had braced herself to deal with a grizzly bear of a man. Instead, his eyes were slowly taking her in as if he was interested in what he saw. Jeanette quickly shook off that foolishness. This man was here to squeeze money out of her that she didn’t have.

“Hi, my aunt said you were here to see me?’

“Jeanette Adams?”

Surely this angel couldn’t be responsible for the minor dent and scratches on his vehicle.

“Yes,” Jeanette answered, trying to control the shaking in her voice. His penetrating gaze was setting off flutters in her belly.

Alonzo reached into an inner pocket of the black, leather jacket he wore. Jeanette’s face flushed when he pulled out a recognizable piece of paper.

“You left this note on my car?”

“I’m … I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit your car. It’s just that I was so tired after working my second job and I put the car in reverse instead of drive and—”

As Jeanette floundered in a feeble attempt to explain her unintentional carelessness, three-year-old Mya entered the room whimpering. On impulse Jeanette went to the child thankful for the interruption. She didn’t know how much longer she would be able to take those sexy, dark eyes staring her down.

“Another bad dream, sweetie?” Jeanette softly asked Mya as she stooped down to lift the child’s tiny body into her arms.

Mya snuggled close, tucking her head in Jeanette’s bosom.

Yes,” the child whimpered wiping at moist eyes.

“It’s okay. You’re safe with me,” she whispered, reassuring the child as she made her way back to Alonzo.

Alonzo’s heart melted as Jeanette approached him with the child on her left hip. His mother’s words came rushing back at the uncomfortable pulling in the center of his chest. He came there prepared to lash out at Jeanette for being so careless. After her honest confession and witnessing her tender interaction with the child, there was no way he could go through with being outright mean. And there was no way this woman had purposely staged an accident to wiggle her way into his bed. Truthfully, with her incredibly sexy, petite body he wished that had been her intent. He would have been more than ready to indulge her.

“I’m sorry for the interruption.” Jeanette apologized as she continued to cradle Mya.

“It’s fine. Is she alright?” Alonzo queried with concern, nodding in Mya’s direction.

Jeanette tightened her hold on the tiny body. If she hadn’t, she might have dropped the child. The man’s voice was sexy and deep with a hint of Latin flavor causing her knees to slightly buckle.

“She’ll be fine in a few minutes. As I was saying, I’m sorry about hitting your car. I know what I did was stupid.”

Jeanette’s face turned a tinge of pink. She couldn’t believe she called herself stupid in front of the sexiest man alive. What she was about to say next sent her into a panic thinking about the money she didn’t have for an increase in her premium rate.

“I do have insurance. If you wait a minute I can go get my wallet and give you my information.”

Jeannette didn’t wait for a response as she rushed out of the room through another doorway.

Alonzo’s phone rang. Glancing at the name on the display he answered. “Hey, Julio. What’s up?”

“Nothing much. Checking to see what time you’ll be by the restaurant. I have some numbers I want to run by you.”

“I’m in the middle of something. When I’m done here, I’ll swing through.”

“You caught up with the chick who hit your ride?”

“Young lady,” Alonzo corrected.

Julio chuckled. “That’s not what you were calling her last night.”

Alonzo cringed. He had thought the worst of Jeanette before meeting her a few minutes ago, and his colorful name calling hadn’t been too gentlemanly.

“Let’s just say she’s not what I expected her to be.”

“Is she ugly?” his younger brother teased.

This time Alonzo chuckled. “Far from it. Have everything ready for me when I get there.”

“Alright bro. See you later.”

“Later.”

As Alonzo was sliding his phone inside his pocket, Jeanette returned to the room with Mya now on her right hip. She handed him a slip of paper.

“I jotted down my information. I called my insurance company this morning to inform them I had an accident, so they’ll be expecting your call.”

While she was speaking another toddler, this time a little boy, wandered into the room leaning against Jeanette’s left leg. He stared at Alonzo with wide curious eyes.

An emptiness he couldn’t explain settled over him as he watched the children clinging to Jeanette for comfort.

“I can see you’re busy. Why don’t I come back after you close this evening so we can talk?”

What did they have to talk about? Everything he needed was on the paper she’d given him. Was he going to demand she pay out of pocket instead of going through the insurance company? She hoped not! She was dreading the five-hundred-dollar deductible she had to pay that was going to wipe her entire savings out. Reluctantly, she agreed with a nod.

“Come back at seven.”

When he smiled showing a straight row of white teeth, her knees did that buckling thing again.

“Seven it is,” Alonzo said as he turned and headed toward the door.

As he reached for the doorknob Jeanette called out, “Hey, what’s your name?”

With his back to her an amused grin curved his lips. She doesn’t know who I am. This could be interesting.

Lezlie frowned as she gazed at her cell phone. Three days had gone by and she hadn’t heard from Jason. Every time she called him, the call rolled over to voice mail. He wasn’t returning her texts either.

Frustrated, she tossed the phone on the nightstand before going into the bathroom to take a shower. Here it was a Friday night and she was all alone. Turning on the tap, she stepped in, not caring that the water was a tad bit too hot. Tears mingled with the falling water as she replayed their last conversation in her mind. Maybe she shouldn’t have shared with him how her folks felt about their budding romance. But he hadn’t seemed upset with what she told him. If anything, he came off as very supportive.

“What happened?” she wondered aloud. This pain was worse than Earl’s betrayal. She thought she and Jason had connected on so many levels. What was it about her that turned men off?

She thought he was different. She believed him when he said he wouldn’t hurt her.

The running water drowned her sobs as she went on with her nighttime routine.

She shut off the faucet, stepped out the shower and began to dry off. Towel wrapped around her body, she padded to her bedroom. Her eyes were drawn to the cell phone like a magnet to metal. A glutton for punishment, she tried calling again. This time the phone rang several times until it went over to voicemail.

What kind of game was he playing? Whatever it was, she wasn’t having it. Anger replaced sadness as she dialed again. Who did he think he was, treating her this way? No more! She wasn’t letting another man trample over her again!

The chiming doorbell startled her. She looked at the phone in her hand, trying to decide if she should go see who was at the door or cuss Jason out. At the beep, she said, “I’ll get back to you later!”

Blood boiling, she didn’t think to put on a robe as she marched to the front door with nothing on but a towel. Nor did she bother to look through the peephole before yanking the door open.

“What do you—”

With his hands in the pockets of his leather bomber jacket, Jason lifted a thick brow. “Do you always answer the door dressed like that?”

Jason stepped across the threshold, dropped the duffle bag he was carrying, before he closed and locked the door. Staring down at her, he smiled before pulling her to himself. She didn’t fight him as he slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her hard and deep.

Breaking the kiss, she remembered that she was mad at him. She placed her hands against the wall of his chest and pushed him. It didn’t do any good though, because he held on, not budging.

“Jason, get off me.” Her voice broke when she said, “I’ve been trying to call you for three days.”

He hugged her close, hating the hurt in her voice because of him. “Babe, I’m sorry. I’ve had a lot on my mind and needed time to think.”

This time, he didn’t hold her when she pushed away. With her chest heaving, she shot back, “That’s no excuse for not answering my calls or texts! You could have at least texted me back saying so.”

He took a few steps to close the distance so he could lean down and nuzzle his nose on her damp, soft curls. He loved the floral fragrant shampoo she used. It was delicate and feminine, like her.

“You’re right. I should have called you back,” he murmured, leaning down further to kiss her neck. Man, she smelled wonderful.

Lezlie’s nipples hardened and she moved closer in hopes of assuaging the sensual ache between her thighs. She shuddered from the thick bulge in his jeans. Goosebumps popped up all over her body when he held her waist and picked her up so that her breasts were at his eye level. She shivered as his cold fingers gently pulled down the towel…

Single mom, Reba Harris from Baby, I’m For Real has agreed to an exclusive sit down with Duffy McQuire.

Duffy: Hi Reba, thank you for taking the time to do this interview me. You have a very interesting story to tell about your life struggles. Do you have any regrets of being a single mom?

Reba: Thank you, Duffy for having me. Yes, I’ve been through a lot of difficult times in my life. One of them being a single mom. No, I don’t regret having my daughter, Roxy, because she is the light of my life. However, I do regret not always being financially stable. It’s tough explaining to a child when you don’t have extra money to do things.

Duffy: Can you explain what went through your mind when you found out what kind of person Harold turned out to be?

Reba: (Reba, sighs) Duffy, I was young when I became involved with Harold. He was so sweet, promising to give me the world. When I became pregnant, all that went out the window. He became a real monster. I just kept thinking this can’t be real. But it was very real.

Duffy: After all the hurt and abuse in your life, did you think it was possible to find love?”

Reba: No, I didn’t. Harold did a number on me. I didn’t want anything to do with a man. (Reba smiles) Until Frank.

Duffy: Your face lit up when you mentioned Frank. What is it about Frank that changed how you think about men?

Reba: (Reba laughs) Everything! And I do mean everything! He is the first man to tell me he loves me and I know he means it. He cares about my wants and dreams. I know this sounds so cliché, but with him I feel safe and secure. And the fact that he loves my child, too is a bonus.

Duffy: Thank you, Reba for sitting down with me today. I know we only scratched the surface of your story. Tell our readers where they can learn more about you and Frank.

Reba: You’re welcome, Duffy. Thanks for having me. Your readers can go to: http://bit.ly/suzettebooks to get to me and the love of my life.

Jason’s firefighting instincts kicked in as he rushed over to the vehicle crashed into a large tree. The front end resembled a crushed soda can. Heart pumping, his eyes surveyed his surroundings to make sure there wasn’t any leakage of flammable liquids.

Trooper aggressively barked at the driver side of the car. Standing on his hind legs with his front paws on the door he continued to bark at the person inside.

“Watch out boy.”

Obediently, he backed away all the while alternating between barking and whimpering.

Jason opened the driver side door to find an unconscious woman inside. He placed his fingertips on her neck checking for a carotid pulse. Good. She was still alive. The pulse was strong and steady, and her breathing was even and deep. He worked efficiently around the deployed airbag to remove the seat belt.

The snow was coming down heavier now with the winds picking up, and the temperature dropping. With the worsening weather conditions, it was safest to get her inside. Once back at the cabin he’d call for help.

Gingerly removing her from the wreck, he took large steps making the trek through the deepening snow to the cabin with Trooper trotting alongside him.

Gently laying the mystery woman on the bed, Jason pulled his phone from his parka and dialed nine-one-one.

The small rural area only had six emergency dispatchers. Born and raised in the area, he pretty much knew everyone. He immediately recognized the dispatcher’s voice.

“Gloria, it’s Jason. There’s been an accident up here. I need you to send an ambulance up to the cabin.”

“What happened?”

“Trooper and I came across a car wreck.”

“How severe is it? Any casualties?”

“No, thank God. She’s pretty banged up though. Her pulse is strong, but she keeps coming in and out.”

Gloria’s sigh of relief was audible over the phone line.

“Jason, you’re gonna have to keep an eye on her for now. There’s been a pile up over on Route 29. Everyone’s been dispatched over there. And the roads are pretty bad where you guys are. With this blizzard blowing through, you might be snowed in for days. Maybe even a week.”

This is not what he wanted to hear. Of course he had to save her, otherwise she would have frozen to death out there. Yet he wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of having a house guest for possibly the next week.

Jason left the woman in his best friend’s care as he went off to wash his hands and get the first aid kit. The laceration above her eyebrow was nasty. Hopefully, it wasn’t too deep requiring sutures. Upon re-entering the room, he found Trooper sniffing her. He may not be interested in his unexpected house guest, but Trooper sure was.

The mystery woman moaned turning her head away from the pooch’s prying snout.

“Troop, get over there,” he hissed pointing across the room.

Dejected, he moseyed over to his bed in the corner dramatically flopping down, and sulking.

Carefully sitting on the bed with the medical supplies in his hands, he put everything to his side within easy reach. Before saturating the cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide, he inspected the gash above her left eyebrow. It wasn’t deep enough to require sutures as he had hoped.

With light strokes, he gently began to clean the wound. Saturating another cotton ball he kept cleaning the cut making sure it was free of any debris. Almost done, he was startled when suddenly she reached up grabbing his wrist.

His large hand stilled from the warmth of her touch.

“Stop,” she softly mumbled, her eyes remaining closed.

Jason hissed an expletive as he stared down into the mystery woman’s face. She was the prettiest shade of golden honey he’d ever set eyes on. The cut and bruise on her left cheek didn’t distract from her beauty. It had been years, three to be exact, since he touched a woman and a woman touched him. He desperately wanted to rub the pad of his thumb over her other perfectly arched brow, down the contour of her satiny cheek, and over the swell of her bottom lip.

“I have to clean you up,” he explained slowly removing her hand, placing it near her side.

He waited a few seconds, which seemed like forever, before he proceeded to place a dab of antibiotic ointment on the cut and apply steri-strips. As he was placing the last strip she grabbed his wrist again. This time with a firmer grip.

The curve of her backside rested against his thigh. His body automatically responded to her softness. Part of him wanted to lay himself behind her, to take pleasure in the sensation of having a woman so close. The other part of him told him to get up because no woman would want his touch. Not even an unconscious one.

At the sound of her mentioning the name Earl, Trooper’s head popped up and he let out a fierce bark.

Jason swung around in the dog’s direction, giving him a stern look to which he settled his head back down on his front paws.

“Crazy dog,” Jason muttered gathering up the supplies and standing.

Trooper lifted his head and growled showing teeth at the insult.

“Oh shut up. Come on and eat your dinner.”

At the mention of food, the pooch stood on all fours and stretched before trotting off after his human.

After his dog was fed and he had a bite to eat, Jason returned to the guest room. With the back of his hand he felt her forehead to check her for a fever. Her skin wasn’t clammy or hot. Next, he added a little pressure with his fingertips to her right carotid artery. Her pulse was still strong, steady and even.

He moved over the only chair in the room and sat down. It wasn’t long before Trooper was at his side on the floor. The two sat in silence as they watched the mystery woman sleep.

The effort she was exerting to open her eyes was useless. Each attempt was met with resistance as her lids refused to cooperate. The man’s voice was unfamiliar and the barking dog in the distance was getting on her nerves. Where did they come from? And why was he touching her? At least it felt like he was touching her. Giving in to his gentle touch she drifted further into a peaceful place.

Images of Earl taunting her disturbed her safe haven. Each time he appeared tormenting her the dog’s growls and barks sent him fleeing off into nothingness. Once he was gone she drifted farther into a cocoon of warmth and wet kisses being peppered all over her face.

“Troop, get over here,” he hissed.

He had never seen him like this before. Each time she moaned the name Earl, it drove Trooper bonkers. He was even more confused by her response. The growling and barking seemed to calm her. Or was it the sloppy kisses? Whichever it was, he was certain she wouldn’t appreciate dog breath on her face.

Jason sat with her for about an hour before deciding to head off to bed. The chair he reclined in keeping vigil became terribly uncomfortable. His throbbing leg could no longer tolerate the position.

“Watch over her boy while I get some rest.”

At the command Trooper trotted off to his bed in the corner

Agitated, Lezlie moaned turning from side to side. Boy did that make her head hurt. She would be able to keep still if Earl and Wendy would let her be. The piercing in her heart nearly took her breath away as the man she dedicated her life to glowered at her in disgust, spewing hateful insults with his witch by his side.

Just when she didn’t think her wounded heart could take any more anguish, the wet kisses were back spreading healing warmth.

Blindly she touched her face to wipe at the kisses. Whoever was lavishing them out so freely had one juicy mouth. She wiped again, but this time the kiss felt almost like a lick. Wait a minute. That was a lick!

Lezlie’s eyes popped open wide as saucers. The blood curdling scream became lodged in her throat. Was she dreaming? She attempted to rub her eyes and was immediately sorry. The pain sent flashes of white light through her brain. Her eyes began to adjust to the dimly lit room by way of the bright moon shining through the window. Yep, right there was the biggest, blackest Doberman standing over her with its tongue hanging out of its mouth.

Her eyes nervously scanned her surroundings. The only escape routes were the door, which she had to get pastit, and the window on the other side of the spacious room. She swallowed hard.Lord, how am I going to get out of here!

She hadn’t a clue where she was or how she’d gotten there. And to make matters worse, not a living soul was in sight except the huge beast gawking at her.

Once that realization dawned on her the paralyzed vocal cords made a miraculous recovery. Finally, she released the loudest blood curdling scream known to man. Scrambling to the center of the bed she continued to scream at the top of her lungs.

Stunned by her reaction, Trooper jumped back and his ears rose at attention. His barking matched her screams.

In a deep slumber, Jason bolted up in bed, his heart thundering in his chest from the commotion down the hall. He stepped into a pair of flannel pajama bottoms laying at the foot of his bed before going to investigate.

“What the hell is going on in here?” His deep voice boomed, effectively silencing the screaming and barking.

Lezlie shielded her eyes as the room was bathed in bright light. The discomfort in her head was amplified by ten thousand. With her free hand she pointed an accusing finger at the dog.

“That mutt was trying to attack me!”

Oh man…Trooper did not like being called out of his name. Growling deep, he showed her a mouth full of sharp teeth. Teeth that could tear her to shreds if he had a mind to.

Oh my God!Scared witless, she backed up to the very edge of the mattress, trying to put as much distance between her and Cujo. How in the world had she gotten herself into this mess!

Jason didn’t take too kindly to the little ingrate calling his dog a mutt. He didn’t care how beautiful she was in spite of the temporary battered features. She wasn’t getting away with offending Trooper.

“You owe my dog an apology,” he gritted out between clenched teeth.

What?Was he and his dog both nuts? Dropping her hand, she had to get a look at this creep and his deranged dog. He must be seriously touched in the head if he thought she was going to apologize to a dog.

Whatever smart aleck retort she had ready to sass at him died on her lips. The dog’s owner was a mountain of a man. Her eyes traveled his entire length. He had to stand at least six-five with shoulders nearly spanning the width of the doorway he occupied.

She let out a long, slow breath. Lord have mercy he didn’t have a shirt on. And those pajama bottoms were riding low on his hips. She tried forcing her eyes not to stare at the dark hair on his chest tapering down toward his pelvis. But failed miserably. Her bosom rose and fell with each breath she inhaled and exhaled. Her fingertips were itching to caress his golden brown, chiseled, tight abdomen.

She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning as her eyes traveled up to his stony face. The faded jagged scar slashed across his right cheek gave him a dangerous, but oh so sexy look. She could tell at one time he was what her grandma referred to as “pretty” boy handsome.

She continued to gape at him, her eyes blinking, wondering where in the world he had been all her life. The pain in her head was warring with the butterflies in her stomach. The butterflies were winning.

“Did you hear me?” The hard edge of his tone snapped her out of her lusting haze.

Lezlie lifted a defiant brow, which intensified the pain, but she didn’t care. She shifted her gaze to the canine and crossed her arms under her full, lush bosom. No way was she apologizing to a dog!

Annoyed with him and his dog she hadn’t noticed the flash of heat in his hazel eyes as they took in her tempting breasts

“Yes…I…heard…you…I’m not apologizing,” she turned her nose up at the beast, “to him.”

Trooper growled, taking a step closer toward the bed.

“Don’t you see him coming closer? Tell him to stop!”

When mountain man continued to glare at her with his stony expression her eyes bulged in disbelief.Oh this dog is rabid. And so is he!

Neither man nor beast wavered in their stance of demanding an apology.

Rolling her eyes, she mumbled, “I don’t believe this.” She gave the mutt the side eye throwing her hands up in defeat. “Alright already! I’m sorry!”

Before Jason could stop him, Trooper charged on the bed knocking Lezlie over on her side. Too terrified to scream she had no choice but to fall over from the weight of the eighty-five-pound dog. She didn’t have time to shield her face from the attack.

What in the world! He wasn’t attacking her. He was giving her those wet, sloppy doggy kisses, and that warm, peaceful place from earlier when Earl was tormenting her dreams immediately engulfed her. She began to laugh and cry at the same time welcoming the overgrown, lovable pooch’s affection. The barking and growling now made sense. Patting the dog on the head she cooed, “It was you chasing that mean man away and kissing me!”

Trooper barked and she winced from the pain in her head. “If we’re going to be buddies you gotta cut all that loud barking out.”

Jason watched in amazement as mystery woman went from being terrified and name calling to kissing the top of Trooper’s head.

Lucky dog.“Trooper, get down,” he commanded softly.

Obediently, he hopped down off the bed with a thud going back to his spot in the corner.

Her eyes followed her new friend. She smiled at him as he settled into a comfortable position no longer paying the two humans in the room any attention.

Lezlie smiled, getting a kick out of her new friend’s charming personality. Too bad his human wasn’t as charming. With that thought she glanced back at mountain man. Their eyes connected and held. They didn’t trust themselves to say a word as they openly appraised one another. Nor could they deny the unmistakable electrical charge in the air.

I pray that your new year get off to a positive start. As for me, I’m making it a mission to get things off on a good foot! Last year I had some ups and downs as an author. Some of the goals I had for myself I failed at miserably. While others, I was like, “You better go girl, witcha’ bad self!” LOL!

A goal I had was to attend a conference because it had been a while since I attended one. What I love most about conferences like BRAB is that authors get to commune with readers. Lucky for me the BRAB conference was only a 2 1/2 hour drive from my home. It was a joy reconnecting with readers and authors I met in the past. And meeting readers and authors for the first time was AMAZING!

Another goal was re-joining Romance Writers of America (RWA) and my local chapter. I’d joined earlier in my career and didn’t feel quite welcomed into the fold. 🙁 Since I’m being transparent here, I’m not ashamed to say my feelings were hurt after going to a few meetings, not feeling accepted and no one talking to me. I wanted so bad to be there because RWA and its local chapters have a wealth of knowledge authors at all levels can benefit from. And to connect with other authors, too. Because I wanted to work on my craft and become the best I could be, I decided to rejoin. Let me tell y’all, I was so nervous walking into that room knowing I probably was going to be the only Black woman… and I was. On the drive there I had a little talk with Jesus. I told him all about my fears. When I walked in there I was greeted with a big hug by Chantel, the chair of the membership committee. We had communicated a few times via email. Other women came up to me, introduced themselves and chatted with me. I couldn’t wait to share my experience with my twin, Suzette Harrison.

In 2018 will be about focusing on connecting with readers in my Facebook group – Suzette’s Romance Room. I have a few things up my sleeve I believe they will enjoy. I’ll be attending at least two reader conferences in 2018, releasing a novella and full-length novel. Drum roll please… and re-releasing the entire Love Conquers All Series! Yes, loves, with new book covers and all!

So, that’s it for me. Like always, I’m sure something else will come up in 2018 I’ll want to dip my toes into.

Today is the release of my sister of the pen, Anita Davis’s new book Hues. Check out the book description below and hop on over to her website to learn more about her!

Supermodel, Liv Summers, better known as Phaedra Winters to her hometown, is esteemed by the industry and her fans for her flawless beauty and matchless runway and shoot presence. Ten years in the limelight and hiding her true identity has kept her from getting close to anyone other than her assistant. Landing gigs, ripping runways, and nailing ads is never a problem for her, but keeping her identity intact and ignoring her growing attraction for a certain photographer is turning out to be the hardest parts of her career to date.

World-renowned photographer, Parker Anderson, has his annual shoot and exhibit coming up during New York’s fashion week. While he’s known to make any subject or setting he captures come alive, no ordinary model will do for him. There’s just one hiccup to making the concept for his annual spread transition from a dream to reality; Liv Summers won’t agree to do it. Not only is he pressed to get Liv to do the shoot, but in spite of vowing never to date another model, the pull towards her is too strong to deny. Will he find the right angle to win her over for the shoot and capture her heart?

I have so much to be grateful for during this season of thanks. God loves me, my family and friends are awesome, I have a home, a career that’s fulfilling, and wonderful supportive readers.

This year I was blessed to meet and connect with new readers, which is a precious gift to an author. It’s also a gift to have readers who stick with you through thick and thin. After the death of my mother five years, I took a break from writing. If it hadn’t been for the emails from readers asking me when my next book was going to be released, I probably would still be in a place of sadness.

I now know those emails in a strange way was my mother telling me to dry my tears and get on with my writing. So readers, thank you for demonstrating what my stories mean to you. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

I have exciting news! Today is release day for the Shades of Love boxed set! We are live on Amazon!

Love knows no boundaries and bridges the gap between creed and culture. Whether prince or pauper, beauty or beast, cupid entangles unsuspecting hearts. From the exchange of a glance to the throes of romance, follow these couples as they discover that love has no limits. Indulge your taste for adventure with ten diverse tales from familiar and exotic parts of the globe.

“Shades of Love” is brought to you by a select group of ten award-winning and best-selling writers, whose stories feature couples who close the cultural divide through their love.

Claiming Lana – Reana Malori Jake Bradford and Lana Miller are two strong-willed people who seem to be sworn enemies. That all changes in the blink of an eye when they’re thrown together for an important project. When passion simmers just under the surface, the outcome is not what either of them could have expected, but exactly what they needed.

Reana Malori is an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of sensual and contemporary romance. She weaves stories that pull the reader into her world and to share in her universe, even if only for a short time. Her stories feature women you’d love to hang out with and men who love them with everything they have.

Caliente Nights – Suzette Riddick Nursery school teacher Jeanette Adams and athlete Alonzo Castro are immediately attracted to each other. He is aware of his Cuban mother’s disapproval, but it’s not enough to keep him from pursuing the African American beauty.

Suzette Riddick enjoys writing romance novels with real life situations readers can relate to. She’s an Amazon bestselling author of African American Romance. In 2013, she was nominated for an Emma Award and was a featured author in USA Today ~ Happily Ever After.

The Blind Shot – J.L. CampbellKofi Danquah and Regina Chu are settlers in a foreign land, but the one thing they have in common is their attraction to each other. As their relationship moves from platonic to passionate, so does their families’ opposition to their love … but Kofi and Regina want what comes naturally and they won’t be denied.

J.L. Campbell is an award-winning, Jamaican author who writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, sweet romance, women’s fiction, as well as new and young adult novels. She is a certified editor, who also writes non-fiction.

When East Meets West – Annamaria BazziWinter Portobello, a coed from a faith-based Italian family falls in love with a fellow student, Samir Chamas, a Lebanese immigrant. Together, Samir and Winter must prove their love to be as strong as the hearts that bind them, despite the cultural and religious differences that threaten to destroy the Chamas family.

Annamaria Bazzi – Love is an important part of life, not just something to be experienced but also to be read. After thirty-one years of marriage, and still going strong, Annamaria Bazzi believes in the happily ever after. This strong belief transcends into her romance novels—every person deserves his and her own happily ever after. Annamaria writes contemporary romances to bring new love experiences to her readers. She also writes young adult sci-fi/fantasy and dabbles in paranormal short stories.

Would Smell As Sweet – Janae KeyesSick of feeling like a prisoner in her own home, Shayna moves the small town of Cotton Springs, Texas. She puts the pieces of her life back together and finds romance, but Happily Ever After only lasts until Shayna’s stalker finds her hiding place and turns her dream into a nightmare.

Janae Keyes is an American mom, wife, and hopeless romantic living in Europe. She loves to explore various cultures coming together through the magic of love. Residing in a suburb of Brussels, Belgium, with her husband and daughter, Janae loves to share her passion for romance with others.

Postcards from Havana – Toye Lawson-BrownArlene Joy never expected to win a five-day trip to Havana, Cuba. After meeting Arlene at a fiesta, Vincenté Martinez is happy he came home.

Toye Lawson- Brown is an Amazon bestselling author of multicultural romance novels. In 2014 she was nominated by the B.R.A.B Book Club for Breakout Author of the Year.

Third Base – P.C. ZickBaseball star Tomas Vegas loses focus on his game when he meets Adriana Moretti from a tight-knit Italian family. When she falls for the handsome Puerto Rican, their families attempt to pull them apart, which only brings them closer together.

P.C. Zick – Bestselling and award-winning author, P.C. Zick, creates contemporary romances with a social consciousness. She describes herself as a storyteller no matter what she writes. Strong female leads, handsome and heroic men, and descriptive settings grace more than a dozen published novels.

The Best Game – Hebby Roman

After years apart, Liana De Leon and Damian Escobedo meet again in their San Antonio hometown. Liana wants to escape her high-profile life, but coming home isn’t working out the way she planned. Instead of the quiet life she envisions, the city’s most eligible bachelor is set on winning her heart and making all her dreams come true.

Hebby Roman is a New York traditionally published, small-press published, and Indie published #1 Amazon best-selling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her book, “Border Heat,” was a Los Angeles Times Book Festival selection. She has been a RONE Finalist three times and in three different categories.

Small Town Boy – Caroline Bell-FosterThey were first loves, but tragedy struck before Kerry and Noah could explore their lives further. Years later, can the British politician and the American Country singer ever re-connect?

Caroline Bell Foster is an international bestselling, multi award-winning British author of diverse romantic fiction and named as one of the most influential people in culture & entertainment in the East Midlands, England.

Sometimes Money Ain’t Enough – Stacey-Deanne

Raquel Hood has everything a woman could want; money, beauty, and an entire town under her command. But after meeting Tobias, Raquel realizes that sometimes money ain’t enough.

Stacy-Deanne (Dee-Anne) is an award-winning author of sensual romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction books. She’s written Amazon Top 100 bestsellers, and her work has been praised and reviewed in USA Today numerously. Stacy’s books are full of passion, thrills, intriguing characters and so much emotion you can’t get enough! If you want something different and unpredictable then definitely check out her work.

Get your copy of Shades of Love at $0.99 on Amazon or with your subscription on Kindle Unlimited. Find the boxed set at: lrd.to/shades-of-love

Have you ever been somewhere or done something that was so amazing you were still on a high from it? Well if not, I’m here to tell you that’s how it was at the 5th Anniversary of BRAB Readers Warrior Retreat. For those of you who don’t know what BRAB is, it’s an online FB group – Building Relationships Around Books. The retreat was held in Alexandria, VA from October 5 – 7.

Nikkea Sharee aka Emcee Extraordinaire

I attended my first conference with BRAB two years ago in Las Vegas. Yes, honey… Las Vegas. I had a great time as a featured author. However, there was something special, dare I say magical about the 5th anniversary. The atmosphere was charged with positive vibes. It was as if readers and authors were all on one accord. Everyone was genuinely kind and loving to each other. And to top it off, Nikkea Sharee was an AMAZING emcee! She kept it live and popping!

Connecting with a reader

It was wonderful seeing readers who have been following me since writing my very first novel, and meeting new readers who didn’t know me. The same goes for authors I’ve met over the years in person and meeting authors I’ve only engaged with on Facebook, especially my author-sisters Anita Davis, JL Campbell and Sheryl Lister. And of course it was sooooo good to see Sharon Blount, MsPrissy Parker, Denise Stokes, Lillian Douglas, and meeting my birthday twin, Kathy Brooks.

Sister-AuthorsSheryl Lister, Anita Davis & JL Campbell

I think one of the things that made this year so special was that folks stepped outside of their comfort zone and mingled. Each day I talked to someone I didn’t know. Y’all this is huge for me since by nature I’m shy. I truly believe it was the positive energy I mentioned earlier. Another thing that made for an amazing bonding experience was the trip we all took to the African American Museum in D.C.

Look all these beautiful black authors!

Before writing this post, I reached out to Sharon Blount the president of BRAB to ask her what did she think made the 5th anniversary so special. Madame President said there were many factors that contributed to the retreat’s success. The first being, “I told myself this year I was putting this event in God’s hand. Once I did that I stopped stressing about the small things.” She went on to say, “The event was so special to my heart because the ladies of BRAB – Denise Stokes, MsPrissy Parker, Kathy Brooks, Lillian Douglass, and myself remembered where we started. Also, I wanted to show appreciation to those who was there from day one.

Sharon Blount, President of BRAB

Blount goes on to point out that everything came together beautifully with this being the first year of having a keynote speaker – Patricia Sargeant, live awards ceremony and lip sync battle. Now that lip sync battle was a lot of fun! Meeting her supporters for the first time was another touching moment that had her in tears. The absolute highlights was meeting Loretta Walls and her surprise of bringing Chamsil along. And having her godmother, Mechonda Williams attend.

Finally, Blount wants us all to know that there was nothing but love and respect there. “That’s something you can’t fake. I’m so proud of that. Ain’t God good?” Yes, He is!

Me and Esther. My bestie!

This year my daughter, Martia and best friend, Esther joined me. You’ll just have to believe me when I tell you they enjoyed the conference just as much as I did. We’re all looking forward to attend the San Antonio conference in 2018.

Me and daughter, Martia 🙂

Well, Loves, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed this post. If you were at the retreat, please share your experience. Don’t miss out on all this goodness! Join us next year! Click herefor more information.

Casually sauntering up and down the aisles at Home Depot, Frank made a mental note to check out the gas grills. Cold beer, a thick, juicy medium-well steak and jazz floating through Bose speakers at the end of a work week would start the weekend off on a perfect note. The company of a beautiful woman wouldn’t hurt either. And he wouldn’t mind that woman being Reba Harris. Why hadn’t he been bold enough to ask for her number? He’d even thought about contacting Patrick to get it from Donna, but decided against it. He was a grown man. He should’ve asked for it when he had the opportunity.

Frank turned down the aisle, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. After moving several more yards he couldn’t believe his luck, but there she was. He tilted his head, viewing her profile, he wondered how old she was. He hoped not too young. Today she was looking rather youthful with hair in its naturally curly state, piled high on the top of her head in a bun. The lime-green T-shirt she wore was snug, outlining perfectly shaped breasts. He wanted to groan as his eyes traveled down her jean-clad hips, butt, and thighs down to the flip-flops on her feet. This time he did groan. Her dainty feet were well-maintained. No crust or chipped nail polish. He could tell she took her time to groom herself by her well-moisturized heels and neatly trimmed toenails painted a dazzling white. A nice contrast against her cinnamon complexion.

Eighteen long months had crept by since he stroked a woman. The tight feeling in his groin was the telltale sign he wanted to do more than just say hello. Maybe he should turn around and leave. Because with her, he wouldn’t want to stop at hello.

He took a deep breath and let it seep out between his lips. He was far beyond the years of a horny teenager. Surely he could ask her to dinner without the two of them ending up in bed. When he cleared his throat and asked her a question, Frank felt like he was punched in the gut as she stared up at him with those eyes he couldn’t forget.

“Do you need help reaching that?” the smooth, deep and sexy voice asked.

“Oh, hi! Yes, thank you,” Reba answered, taking a step back. The clean, crisp whiff of his aftershave tickled her senses. She tried not to stare, but Lord have mercy, the man looked just as good from behind. Shifting from one foot to the other, she looked away before getting caught ogling his butt.

Frank easily grabbed the item Reba was trying to get with his large hand. With an amused grin, he glanced at the tub of grout in his hand before looking at Reba. “You know how to use this?”

Reba fixed him with a raised eyebrow. “Yes…I’ve watched a few YouTube videos on how to use it. I think I’m good.”

As a single mom she had to learn how to do minor repair jobs around the house. She couldn’t afford handymen who overcharged for simple repairs.

His rich, husky laugh sent butterflies swarming in her belly. To make matters worse, she felt her cheeks getting warm.

“What’s so funny? My shower is in desperate need of re-grouting.”

“YouTube? You look like the HGTV type.”

With a nonchalant shrug of a slender shoulder, she threw back, “I don’t have a man around, so I have to do it myself.”

Too late. She couldn’t take it back. If she didn’t think she’d look like a lunatic she would have snatched her grout and ran as fast her legs could take her down another aisle.

Frank tilted his head to study Reba. Was she letting him know she was available? He wanted to come right out and ask her. The crimson tint on her face told him she had embarrassed herself enough by the blunt statement. The last thing he wanted was to mortify her any further.

“What a shame,” he murmured.

The heated interest in his eyes wasn’t lost on Reba. Why was she playing with fire? She didn’t know a thing about Frank Bass. And here she was telling him she didn’t have a man at home. Taking a few steps back, she thanked him again for helping her.

As she turned to leave, Frank’s heart pounded in his chest. If she got away this time, he might never get this chance again. He gently wrapped his fingers around her upper arm. He wanted so badly to stroke the satiny skin.

“You know what tools you need?”

Oh God, why did he have to touch her? She hadn’t felt a man’s touch in forever. Even then, the contact hadn’t felt this magical.

She nodded. Digging into her back pocket, she took out a list of all the supplies needed. A small file to loosen up the old grout, a spatula and two large sponges. She didn’t resist when he gently removed the list from her hands.

His eyes scanned her neat writing on the white paper. Those butterflies got to fluttering again in her belly when his full lips curled into a smile.

“Looks like you have everything here. Come on, I’ll help you look for them.”

Reba was more than capable of finding the supplies on the list herself. She’d been in this particular Home Depot numerous times shopping to repair one thing or another. Like a helpless sheep, she followed simply because she wanted to remain in his presence a little while longer.

Frank and Reba engaged in superficial chatter while they collected the supplies. Placing the last item in her cart, he turned to her. “I’ve done this a time or two with my dad. I can help you. It won’t take me long,” he assured her.

“I don’t want to interfere with your Saturday,” Reba protested. By her opening her big mouth, he knew she didn’t have a man, but did he have a woman waiting at home for him? An uneasy, coiling sensation of mistrust crept up her spine. Especially when she spied the beautiful ceiling fan in his cart. Was someone waiting for him to hang it? Over a bed where they made love. She pointed to his cart. “Looks like you have your own project to do.”

“You’re not inconveniencing me. This is a surprise for my mom. She’s been wanting one in her bedroom for some time now. I was planning to hang it tomorrow morning while she’s at church.”

Frank’s thoughtfulness touched her. What was that saying? If a man treated his momma good, he would do the same for his woman. Accepting his offer became that much easier.

“Okay,” she acquiesced.

“Good. It’ll probably take you five hours to do a one-hour job,” he teased.

Reba didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. Instead, she playfully rolled her eyes as she sashayed to the register to pay for her things. She didn’t have to turn around to know his eyes were glued to the sway of her hips.

Reba pulled into a parking space in front of her home and waited for Frank to park behind her before getting out. She took her time gathering her purse, delaying the inevitable. The last time she had this much anxiety over someone coming into her home was when Roxy was a child. The churning in the pit of her stomach wasn’t because she didn’t think her home was good enough. She was long over that insecurity. Today’s anxiety was all about a man she barely knew entering her personal space. She jumped from the tapping on the driver’s side window.

“Are you getting out?”

Reba nodded. Before she could get out, Frank said, “Pop the trunk so I can get your stuff.”

She watched through the driver’s side mirror as he walked to the rear of her car and got the supplies.

“You need any help?” She asked as she stepped out of the car.

“I got it. Lead the way.”

As he followed her up the steps to her front door, his senses were heightened. Quickly scanning his surroundings, there didn’t appear to be any imminent threat. Yet, he still felt an uneasiness he couldn’t shake.